


Rinaeus

by jhoca



Category: Free!
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Mythology, Gen, Greek Mythology - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-20
Updated: 2014-03-20
Packaged: 2018-03-07 13:53:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3175388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jhoca/pseuds/jhoca
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rinaeus was a mortal, handsome, young man with fair hair that contested the redness of the rising sun. Whenever Apollo’s sun streamed down from above, spilled across the sky, and draped a blanket of light over him, his hair gleamed beautifully. Soon, however, he would embark upon a journey with his friends in order to save his beloved city-state of Corinth. (an old hero's tale I wrote for my mythology class last year lol)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rinaeus

**Author's Note:**

> we had to write a hero's tale for my mythology class last year and

Rinaeus was a mortal, handsome, young man with fair hair that contested the redness of the rising sun. Whenever Apollo’s sun streamed down from above, spilled across the sky, and draped a blanket of light over him, his hair gleamed beautifully.

Rinaeus loved his father, a sailor who loved exploring uncharted waters and touring the borders of the Mediterranean Sea with his son. Because of that, Rinaeus was just as fascinated by the seas, frequently diving into the water and realizing his potential as a swimmer. Although he possessed no special qualities like the strength of Hercules or the cunning mind of Theseus, he had the ability to swim like a creature that belonged in the water.

Throughout his life, it seemed as though Rinaeus was the least distressed among the Greeks of their city-state, Corinth. In fact, his life was so curiously happy, it seemed as though the Gods had blessed him with happiness. He was fortunate to have been able to experience an innocent childhood rich with memories, without the drama and complications imposed by the Gods. And because of his love for the sea, Rinaeus often swam from dawn to dusk. His friends admired his dedication and occasionally accompanied him. They even went so far as to call him “Poseidon’s son” even though it wasn’t true.

However, this was only the beginning, a mere prelude to the tale of Rinaeus. The misfortune that sent Rinaeus on his quest was still yet to come.

During the brutality of the Trojan War, gruesome battles were fought as Rinaeus matured into his golden years of youth. Like most civilians of Corinth, he was forbidden to leave the city boundaries for safety precautions. However, he was wrought with concern. His father still hadn’t returned from his voyage from Athens, so he wasn’t under the protection of Corinth or its patron god, Poseidon.

Rinaeus was right to worry. On the journey back to Corinth, across what looked like such an immense bay, his father had already been spotted and was tailed by an enemy. Of course, he was only an innocent bystander, someone at the wrong place at the wrong time. However, his humble ship was struck regardless of who he was, and he died at sea, his very oasis.

Once the war’s bloody rampage settled into an embittered peace, Rinaeus soon heard the news about his father’s passing and fell into a state of depression. With the sour reminder of his father’s death, Rinaeus avoided the seas he used to love. The Ionian Sea, Aegean Sea, the Sea of Crete, they were all bodies of water that betrayed Rinaeus for drowning the very person he knew loved them most.

Poseidon, as the guardian of Corinth, watched over the progressing reconstruction of the city-state after the chaos of the Trojan War, and coincidentally he found Rinaeus sinking to the pit of despair while everyone else toiled away, hard at work.

At the very sight of him, Poseidon was displeased. Rinaeus was a broken youth who now held an emotion-driven grudge against the sea. Distracted by the mortifying loss of his father, Rinaeus refused to swim or even approach the harbors he used to visit often in his childhood. He was too laggard to work effectively, slowing the efficiency among the Corinthians, whose moods worsened around him. He sulked and became a target for ridicule, fueling Poseidon’s frustration.

Rinaeus, the talented child who once made the God of Seas proud, was no longer worthy of his talent or reputation.

After a moment of deliberation, Poseidon decided it was just too unbearable. On impulse, he sent merpeople to find a prophet for Rinaeus. What the chosen prophet declared was that Rinaeus would be led by merpeople to the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea, where the Dragon Orb resided. Perched comfortably on shells and white sand, the Dragon Orb was a pearly relic that allowed its bearer to obtain mystic powers. It was capable of curing mental ailment, granting clarification, and providing protection and guidance. In this case, with the Dragon Orb, Rinaeus could overcome his grief, redeem himself, and help Corinth in its time of need. It was essential that Rinaeus fetch the orb and return to Corinth with it, or else tragedy would befall the city.

At first, persuasion rang a heavy toll on Rinaeus, who was too unmotivated to act upon the quest that was given by the prophet. Luckily, his childhood friends, a loyal band of four, were willing to accompany him in his journey.

Harukaus, the closest to Rinaeus among the friends, managed to convince him to accept his prophecy. Together, along with the limited help of the merpeople, they prepared themselves, packing material, wearing maneuverable clothes, buckling leather belts, and attaching knives that could be used in close combat. Once they were ready, they dove into the Mediterranean Sea and followed their escorts, the merpeople. And their deep-sea quest began.

Initially, the journey seemed fairly easy, almost effortless. They dove into the water and swam downward, persisting on. The merpeople, who lacked a human form of communication, directed Rinaeus and his companions towards their destination. They gestured in an attempt to explain their duty to tend to other business. They soon vanished before Rinaeus could even collect his thoughts.

This immediately provoked panic among the group of friends, who soon faced their first obstacle from their lack of composure.

As mere mortals, obviously the need for air and the underwater darkness posed serious issues. The first to struggle with this were the companions who volunteered to join Rinaeus. And Rinaeus himself, despite his ability to swim fluidly and hold his breath for extended periods of time, suffered just as his friends did. Deeper and deeper into the sea, there was no sun to light the way and the pressure from lower depths was too extreme to be hospitable. It felt as if their lungs were shriveling into raisins. Their blue faces drained of color and their skin wrinkled. Their breaths were strained, and their chests felt like they were being squeezed.

Fortunately, the merpeople that disappeared earlier suddenly reappeared and presented a solution. They approached the band of friends and gave each struggling swimmer a Dragon Scale, a rare and necessary tool for underwater travel. It allowed each member of the party to breathe and see underwater like merpeople. Although Rinaeus wondered why they hadn’t given them the scales sooner, he couldn’t exactly communicate with the merpeople and dismissed the matter. And the journey continued.

Eventually, in due time, the floor’s white sand emerged. With the help of their Dragon Scales, they could see immensely better, studying their surroundings and investigating the area. Before they knew it, a large orb appeared, sitting among sunken treasures and precious objects. There were golden prizes galore, shining brilliantly as their sides reflected whatever little light reached them. And the Dragon Orb, in all its glory, was opaline and mysteriously enchanting to the eye. It was the size of a plump fruit, but exceptionally attractive, reeling in anyone who gazed upon it.

Of course, Rinaeus and his companions were thrilled by their quick discovery. They were compelled to swim in recklessly without thinking, to grab the orb and return home with no strings attached. In fact, in their excitement they almost didn’t notice the fear that terrified their escorts, the merpeople, who frantically departed from the scene without so much as a warning. What was there to fear? Why were they so afraid?

Well, the second obstacle to their journey had arrived, and it was much worse than the first. If anything, it was incomparably worse.

Surrounding the Dragon Orb and the treasures of greed was a colossal serpent. At a distance, it was nothing but a harmless mountain valley, but upon closer examination, it was the body of a dragon. It was the Water Dragon, to be precise. Its thick skin was adorned with dark scales, true Dragon Scales, and its plated back was lined with tremendously long fins. From a mortal’s point of view, the Water Dragon was not only the protector of the Dragon Orb, it was a living portion of the earth, responsible for the changes in the ocean’s currents.

Rinaeus and his companions grew still as the panic gradually consumed them. Frantic, they silently prayed for their safety, watching the Water Dragon lay ominously ahead of them. No one had warned Rinaeus and his companions of the Dragon Orb’s guardian, let alone that one existed. Regardless, it was enormous, intimidating, and posed a serious threat. Fortunately for the adventurers, the dragon was fast asleep, a heavy slumber they desperately hoped was an eternal rest.

Well, even with this seemingly impossible and Sisyphean task, Rinaeus knew it was his duty to retrieve the orb, despite the potential dangers.

First things first. In order to fetch the Dragon Orb without waking the Water Dragon, he required stealth and swiftness, and Rinaeus was exactly that underwater. He must have been a sea creature in his past life; his swimming skills were top-notch.

Gesturing to his friends, Rinaeus explained his plans, ambition, and determination to snag the orb and avoid disturbing the Water Dragon. At first, his companions were reluctant to follow through with his vague instructions, since Rinaeus himself didn’t seem entirely sure of their survival, but they knew their decision to join him on this journey was absolute. There was no turning back now, and they agreed to his proposal. Rinaeus nodded and not a moment later, he shot off towards the Dragon Orb, closer and closer, nearer and nearer.

Suddenly the earth beneath the sea shook violently. The gravel and rocks quaked. White sand was sent swirling in the water and blurred his vision. With a vigilant eye on the Dragon Orb, Rinaeus watched it roll across the sand as the golden treasures scattered. Wasting no time, he gathered his surroundings and squinted through the murky water, hoping something else was responsible for this commotion and not the dragon.

His eyes caught a glowing yellow light, but Rinaeus brushed it off as golden treasure shimmering. In the distance, he saw the Water Dragon’s tail rise slowly and stir the dusty water. Was it awake? Had Rinaeus made a mistake?

Nevertheless, something was causing a ruckus, and whatever it was, Rinaeus definitely didn’t want to get involved. And that meant time was of the essence. As quickly as he possibly could, Rinaeus reached for the Dragon Orb, stretching his arms in front of him. Nearby, he saw a colossal shadow rising in the muddy water. A pair of bright yellow eyes were positioned onto its head, blinking, glowing, following his every movement.

The Water Dragon was awake.

Rinaeus moved quickly as the panic settled in, his nerves prickling with terror. He could see the fearsome serpent from the corner of his eye, rearing its head, as if it was examining its guest, or rather, its prey. Growling and baring its teeth, the Water Dragon emitted a low and elongated sound, a tremorous vibration that shook the waters. And despite how slow and gradual the serpent slithered, it still caused the sea floor to tremble due to its lofty size and weight.

Suddenly, the Water Dragon’s low growl became a screeching roar. At that instant, the earth’s tremors intensified as everything began to quake madly. Soon enough, everything was shaking uncontrollably. It appeared the serpent had been aggravated, whipping its enormous tail about, indicating its hostility and readiness to fight.

Rinaeus raised his head and searched the blurry waters for the cause of the dragon’s vehement rampage.

Stabbing at different locations of the Water Dragon’s body were his friends. Thanks to this strategy, they were able to preoccupy the dragon, who was enraged by its confusion. It had targets in every direction and was infuriated by their mobility. They could easily evade the Water Dragon before it could even lunge towards them.

Proud of his companions’ display of bravery, Rinaeus surged on. Soon enough, the orb was easily within reach. The moment his fingers brushed against the orb’s smooth and pearly surface, Rinaeus snatched it and tucked it into his tunic. Now that he had the Dragon Orb safely in his possession, he waved to his friends.

With that signal, everyone avoided the Water Dragon, escaping and swimming to safety.

Once Rinaeus and his friends came up to the surface of the water, they were ecstatic about their accomplishment and relieved that it was over. Starting back towards Corinthian shores, from the distance they heard a strange language, foreign tongue. At first, they dismissed it as a delusion, that they were only hallucinating after their long journey underwater. Now that they could speak again, they reasoned that perhaps they weren’t accustomed to the world above the sea and left it at that.

Long story short, Rinaeus and his friends returned to Corinth victorious. With the valuable Dragon Orb in their possession, the mood throughout the entire city lifted. Corinth erupted in loud cheers and applause. The celebration lasted a while, and their joyfulness urged further festivities. Corinthians smiled from ear to ear, and the city’s overall efficiency and production improved significantly thanks to the Dragon Orb, which they erected a pedestal for in its honor. Rinaeus redeemed himself, and once again, Poseidon was proud of him. All was well.

However, the tale of Rinaeus didn’t end there. Instead, what brought an unexpected end to this story was the last obstacle. On the horizon, pirate ships emerged on the sea. Flaunting their peculiar designs, it definitely caught Corinthian eyes. It was evident they had sailed from the east, somewhere exotic and near Troy. Unfortunately, this was no diplomatic encounter. The men aboard the ship were vulgar brutes, Trojan survivors, who have come to kidnap women and pilfer through the riches of their city.

It happened in one fell swoop, and it was miserable. Before the Corinthian guards could properly assemble, the Trojan intruders barged in and raided the city, grabbing women and every valuable item they could find. Of course, as proud Corinthians, Rinaeus and his friends couldn’t sit and watch this all happen without retaliating. They fought valiantly with gallant weapons in hand, fending off the Trojan pirates who wore crude grins. The battle met a stalemate, however, when they snagged the Dragon Orb, which had been lost in all of the commotion.

Rinaeus, like the other Corinthians, refused to give up their precious Dragon Orb, which was the source of prosperity in their city-state. However, neither did the savage Trojan ruffians, once they realized what a prized possession it was. Fortunately, the two enemies came to terms by negotiating. Corinth could keep the Dragon Orb if the Trojan pirates were allowed to leave with the goods they had already collected, as well as their hero, Rinaeus, who would aid their forces instead.

It was a difficult choice, like the judgment Paris needed to make before the Trojan War officially exploded throughout Greece. After all, Rinaeus was Corinth’s pride and joy, the hero who made success in their city possible, who let Corinth blossom and flourish, bringing smiles on every face. But at the same time, the Dragon Orb was an indispensable asset in Corinth’s arsenal. Well, luckily, or perhaps unluckily, the decision was quickly made by Rinaeus.

He was willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of Corinth and volunteered to accept their trade offer before it could spin out of control. And so they traded the two items. Corinth reserved their sacred Dragon Orb, while Rinaeus boarded the Trojan ship along with their cruel capture of women and stolen loot.

Ironically, these were the same Trojans who were responsible for the death of his father from only months ago, intentional or not. Of course, Rinaeus didn’t know about this tragic truth. And now, he would be forced to provide his heroic expertise for these savage murderers for the remainder of his life.

 

**Author's Note:**

> now that I read it again this is actually really awful
> 
> but I really get the kick out of their "greek" names


End file.
